Airbnb is building AI agent to plan and book trips
What's the story
Airbnb has announced plans to launch its own artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent in the first half of 2027. The company revealed the news in its Q3 shareholder letter, detailing how this innovative feature will work and what it will do. Unlike conventional chatbots, this AI agent is designed to enhance the user experience by providing a more personalized interface specifically for travel-related queries.
Innovative design
AI agent won't take away from trip planning experience
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has previously said that the company plans to build an AI agent with a more complex interface than regular chatbots.
He believes that people enjoy the process of planning and looking forward to a trip. This is why any AI agent built by Airbnb shouldn't take away from the inspiration and browsing experience.
The new AI agent will be different from today's general-purpose agents, which are good at simple tasks but not at trip planning.
Personalized experience
How the new AI agent will work
The AI agent will create an interface around a user's question, rather than just answering like a chatbot.
Chesky explained that the company is creating a "custom-designed AI-native experience" that caters to what guests are looking for.
Instead of relying on traditional chat alone, which can be text-heavy, the agent will use hundreds of travel-specific interface components such as maps, photos, comparisons, calendars and itineraries in real time to match user needs.
Trip support
The AI agent will assist during trips too
The AI agent will also provide assistance during trips, not just with bookings.
It will be able to handle changes in reservations or payment issues, refunds, rebooking, and 24-hour safety support.
This is something an outside agent can't do easily on its own.
Over time, Airbnb hopes the agent will help travelers with other aspects of their trip such as services and experiences beyond just homes and hotels.